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 Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 11:48 am
❖☾Stage 2 - Choosing a Mount❖☾
Ever since she was young there had only ever been Mvua.
No other mount would do for the eccentric Alkidike. In all likelihood she would have been better off with a larger mount; something that could move more easily under her height and weight. When riding atop her radaku companion Mnyiri's legs were often drawn in tight to his body, pressed so close that the slightest drop in muscle tension could send her toes towards the ground.
However, it's not like that had ever stopped her from riding him.
Ever since she had been a young thirteen year old Mvua had been there. She'd come across the wild radaku while on a hunting trip with her mother, Ysmir. The older warrior had been keen on showing her youngest daughter the ways of the jungle when a cacophony of rabid snarls, yowls and yelps had drawn them towards a pack fight. A group of radaku surrounded two in particular and Ysmir had explained that it was a fight for dominance. She had told Mnyiri to stay in the tree and observe only; it was just far too dangerous to get mixed into a pack dispute.
Ysmir had moved on, but Mnyiri did not.
She watched until the fight was over and the black one, the one with the white striped legs, had lost everything. He had obviously been the Alpha; but the newcomer had been bigger, stronger, and more determined to take over. It was heart wrenching to watch as the others walked around his injured body, even more so when he watched his former pack leave him entirely.
In a moment that could only have been described as sheer stupidity Mnyiri descended from her perch in the tree towards the ground. The young alkidike had thought she was alone in the bush, and had only wanted to get a closer look, but when she turned around she screamed. There, right in front of her, was the injured radaku with his fangs bared.
Had it not been for her scream Ysmir may not have returned to her daughter in time. Mnyiri was pulled back into the tree by her dreads, which had succeeded in freeing more than a few from her scalp, but at the very least the radaku hadn't been able to snap her neck. He didn't try leaping up at them as Ysmir held her daughter close, trying to comfort the girl after the terrifying ordeal. Later the mother would scold her for her disobedience but in that moment Mnyiri needed the comfort more than ever.
Days turned into weeks after the initial meeting. Mnyiri had thought of little else save for that lone radaku. Had he survived? His wounds had been bad and she worried about them becoming infected. She worried so much so that Mnyiri had snuck away from her lessons in search of him.
As she had feared he was in rough shape by the time she got to him. The ex-Alpha was still in the same clearing she'd left him, but now his wounds had puss tinting the edges and flies swarmed him. At first she assumed he was dead until a wheezing breath drew her attention to his chest. It moved; barely, but it was enough to convince her that to take action.
Despite her mothers' initial refusals Mnyiri had drug Mvua back to their home. His temperament was still as wild as ever; the radaku had snapped at both of her mothers and treated any stranger with disdain...save for Mnyiri. He growled and snarled around her, but for the most part he was relatively tame around the young girl. When he was well enough to walk he allowed her to decorate his mane with beads and soon enough he came to sleep in the same bed as she.
How could she ever choose a mount that wasn't Mvua? Who would possibly be able to trump him in terms of loyalty and affection? Sure, she could find a Janarim or even a Kinfa, like her late mother, that would be 'better suited' but Mnyiri didn't want that.
All she wanted was exactly what she already had.
(WC: 692)
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Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 2:42 pm
❖☾Stage 2 - Letters❖☾
Dear Rhonann,
I'm not sure if this letter will ever reach you, as I'm just sending this to Sauti in the hopes that one day it finds it's way to you. You'll never guess where I am - Matori! I guessed for you; if you didn't want the answer just cover it up and - Ah well, you get the point.
Matori is so small compared to the other lands of Tendaji. So far all I've seen are coastlines and beaches, with ocean spreading out as far as my eyes can see. I think you would really like it here. It's so beautiful, Rhonann; it makes me wonder if I should ever leave. Wouldn't it be nice, to have a little shack on the beach and live like the Matorians?
I'm used to the rains, though the coolness that settles in after is new. In Jauhar the humidity would be enough to choke you, but here it feels so much nicer. I've seen teenagers cliff dive in the middle of storms into the raging sea like mad Gods. I thought for sure they would have died, so did their parents for that matter, but each one survived. Barely. I'm sure their parents have killed them by now; the looks on their faces were murderous.
Currently I'm staying in Sald, which is smaller still. Apparently it was hit hard during the slave trades, which is perhaps why most of the residents won't let me stay within the village itself. Still, I've made a good camp on the outside of the village, and have even made some friends with the local wildlife. That is, I made a ring of fire in the sand surrounding my camp so the smoke and ash would keep them at bay. I do not like these snap trotters; one tried to eat Jioni and they look like they could very well eat me too.
Some in Sald have greeted me kindly, though. It's like a good place to go as a visitor, I think, since they seemed only to happy to see me once I showed them my coin.
I do not plan on staying long; someday soon I will have to leave and return to Jauhar, where I will likely stay for some time. Speaking of travels - how are yours? Are you finding out anything regarding your family? Have you found any companions to go with you? If you are still on your own by the time I reach Jauhar we should meet up once more. I would love to help you as best I can, my friend.
I am eager to hear of your travels when next we speak. Until then I hope that you are safe and haven't been spending too much time with bad people. You're a sweet girl, Rhonann, with more pep than you know. That tends to draw the vagabonds in. Watch out for them; otherwise you might end up with a baby. At least, that's what I've been told happens to earthling girls on their own. It makes me worry for you. I am sure you would be a great mother, but it is too soon for you. Give it some time.
Speaking of babies, I think Mvua has been spending too much time with a local fisherman's radaku. She's grown fat and I'm worried that he's gotten her with pup. I mean, they would be really cute, but how are we going to support them? What if the fisherman wants me to take care of them? I don't know anything about raising puppies!
Until next time,
Mnyiri
P.S. They were Mvua's and if you want one, come see Gimsin in Sald
P.P.S. One of the little shits bit my finger. Definitely Mvua's pups
(WC: 622)
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Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 2:43 pm
❖☾Stage 2 - Hybrids❖☾
The return trip from Matori to Jauhar was proving to be harder than Mnyiri initially suspected. The journey itself wasn't bad; what with fair winds and easy, purchasable passage, but her mental state....was in turmoil.
Mnyiri had met with not only one, but two mothers of hybrid children, one being an alkidike, even! They said that love brought them together despite their separate races and while their children seemed to be well adjusted Mnyiri couldn't help but to wonder if they truly were. Asking those kinds of questions in front of the mothers seemed ill advised, especially with Masika, who seemed on the tender side of things anyway, but still...
Were hybrids really becoming more integrated into societies or were they still just oddities?
It made her think on her own childhood and that of her mother's. Ysmir had to work herself to the bone and craft an aggressive exterior just to protect herself in alkidike society. She had told her daughter of the many trials she faced growing up, in turn teaching Mnyiri to trust others as one would savage beasts. Always keep an eye on them, she said, you never know when they're going to turn.
And yet, Mnyiri had faced so little in the ways of racism. In so many ways her mothers had sheltered her, and by the time she was old enough to see the world for what it was Ysmir's training had already prepared her for the worst of it. Her village would never truly accept her as she was, which is what prompted Mnyiri to leave upon her mothers' death to find her sister, Ilyra. Along the way she met many friends, some of which she missed daily, and never once had they made her feel 'odd' because of her shifter blood.
Had these girls, these Matori hybrids, felt the same as her mother? They didn't seem that way. Both were happy, well adjusted girls without that hardened exterior her mother had built up. And passing through Oba had reminded Mnyiri about the alkidike who had fallen for the Oban noble. They had a hybrid son; one that should have been walking by now. How was he fairing? Had they ever decided on a place to raise him?
All these questions gave her so much pause that the young woman was forced to sit back in the wagon and think. All around her others were chatting, mostly about what they were going to do once they were home, but Mnyiri had to wonder where her home actually was.
As a hybrid she should have felt some connection to the shifters, but she didn't, not really. Her home would always be around her alkidike sisters, but it was obvious that they felt little to no love for her. The 'weird' one; the crazy one. As far as they were concerned her shifter blood had spoiled her, and any sister that would mate with her was deformed mentally. Did that mean she was going to live the rest of her life alone? Sure, she had her friends and Ilyra, but....
Mnyiri wanted love.
She wanted love and a family of her own. Not right at that moment, but someday. A true family that she could raise in Aisha's light. Would that ever happen around the alkidike? Would any sister embrace her as a mate, and choose to share blossoms with her?
Or maybe she was better off seeking out a partner with the earthlings? But wouldn't that be turning her back on Aisha? All of these questions, these feelings....It was enough to drive Mnyiri truly mad!
(WC: 601)
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Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 3:01 pm
❖☾Stage 2 - Dreams❖☾
The caravan was just passing through the first line of trees into Jauhar when Mnyiri decided on napping. It wouldn't be much longer now before she arrived home, and she wanted to be well rested. So it came to pass that the alkidike settled down, careful not to stretch her legs out too far, lest she bump into someone.
She dreamed of a big house, carved into the largest, most glorious indigo tree in her village. Even from the outside the space seemed warm, and she needed only to open the door to hear the laughter of children. She could see them - or rather, their vague shapes- running up the stairs in pursuit of each other. Mvua was hot on their heels, looking happier than the radaku ever had in the past. From here Mnyiri couldn't tell if the kids were male or female, which made the vague, genderless shape of her lover all the more appropriate.
Mnyiri reached out for them, but found that no matter how far she stretched she could never seem to touch them. She moved closer, but the distance never seemed to change. Her lover spoke some words to her, and she felt the smile in them, but Mnyiri couldn't hear what was being said. Finally, her feet seemed to move, but instead of getting closer she tripped over a tome and fell....
...down, down, down, until there was nothing but blackness around her. She woke, alone and frightened on a beach with no one in sight and -
Mnyiri awoke with a start, causing the earthling who had been sitting next to her to jump. "Are you alright, miss?" He reached back towards her, placing a hand on her shivering shoulder.
"Yeah...yeah, just a bad dream." And hopefully just that; a dream. She couldn't imagine being shown a vision like that...only to live out her live alone on that isolated beach.
Mnyiri just prayed it was just a dream and not some freaky vision.
(WC: 329)
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Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 9:21 am
❖☾Stage 2 - Growth Solo❖☾
(( Mnyiri has grown tired of being deceptive with her intellect and wishes to be seen as something more than the token hybrid in her village. She has gone to show her research to the village elders, who will rebuff her findings and tell her to focus on more productive things, like training.
Ganora, an elder, gives Mnyiri a task to demonstrate how her research could be valuable. She doesn't want earthling information; rather, she wants whatever intel Mnyiri can gather on the Elaria. Mnyiri knows it's a suicide mission, but it's a chance to solidify her place among her people and show her village that she's worth far more than they think. ))
With each day Mnyiri spent in Matori her appearance began to change just the slightest bit more. Her already supple curves began to fill out into her full, womanly shape. She already knew what effects her physical appearance had on others, what desires it wrung out of them, but Mnyiri paid it little mind. In her youth she would have been vain over her changing appearance, but these days her mind was focused on other tasks.
Not only was her body changing, but so were her thoughts. No longer was she entirely focused on her training with scholarly pursuits as her hobby; Mnyiri had begun to see them as reversed. The more time she spent with the earthlings the more she was able to see just how valuable all of this research was. So long as she was able to hunt and defend herself that's all she truly needed to do; leave the actual fighting to the sisters who wanted to do it. Mnyiri, most assuredly, did not.
Her return trip to Jauhar was met with mixed results. She presented her various findings to the elders in her home village, and tried to make them see. Wasn't it just as important to them to know about earthlings and their culture as it was to know where to point a spear? The first day she had been thrown out, the second she was met with harsh words, and beyond that...Mnyiri wasn't seen at all.
She didn't leave, however. Mnyiri stayed outside of the elder one's home until finally, in the wee hours of the morning, the older alkidike decided to meet with her. Ganora was a gnarled woman with a hunched back and a cane that reminded Mnyiri of a keldari. Her dreadlocks were no longer raven in hue, but rather a salted look with just as much grey in them as the black. "My daughters say you won't leave, even when they forcibly remove you. Why do you stay if you know they do not want you?"
"Because I knew you would speak to me if I did." Ganora's daughters hadn't been kind. After their mother's initial refusal the women had done everything in their power to chase her off. At first it had been harsh words and clods of mud thrown at her. Quickly this had shifted to physical assaults, which had left the hybrid terrified and strangely determined. "Ganora, you knew my mothers so you should know me. I am every ounce their daughter, and as such I will not leave until you hear me out."
The matriarch clucked her tongue and motioned to a simple chair. She seated herself across from it on a far more cushioned seat. Mnyiri thought of offering to help the older woman, since it seemed to be difficult for her to sit, but thought better of it. What better way to insult a former warrior than to ask her if she would like help to sit. "This research of yours is a hobby; nothing more. Something for you to pursue when you're my age. Right now you should be focused on honing your skills and settling down."
While Mnyiri did accept the seat, she quite visibly sat on the edge of it. "It's not just a hobby. I've spent years conducting experiments, dissections, studies and interviews-"
"Bah. How will any of that help us? Do you think some books will stop wars?"
Mnyiri didn't know what to say to that. She truly didn't know if any of her research would do any of the things she hoped it would, but how would she know if she didn't try? She visibly sagged in her seat and shook her head, the little bells chiming in her dreads as she did so. It was infuriating! If only she could get the elder to see what information like this could be used for-
"Mnyiri, do you truly wish to be a part of our village?"
"Yes, of course. I was born here; I want to serve our mother as best I can and I just know that this is the wa-"
"Let me speak, child." The elder held her hand up to shush Mnyiri before she gave into one of her ramblings. "To the South is the isle of Yael. Have you heard of it?"
Mnyiri nodded, but she didn't bother hiding her confusion. What did Yael have to do with her acceptance?
"Many years ago now we sent several of our sisters to live out the rest of their days in exhile. They were supposed to die on Yael; instead, we've heard disturbing rumors that not only are they alive, but they are thriving." Her face drew up into a snarl, one that showed Mnyiri just how serious this matter was.
"But how can that be? They're so far away from Mother and the natives should have killed them by now."
"They stole from her," Ganora stated bluntly, "Their 'Matron' stole from Aisha. They have raised a false goddess, a prophet, one of Aisha's own daughters and twisted her to give them blooms. The Elaria, they call them."
The Elaria? Mnyiri had heard faint rumors, but had yet to put any real stock into them. What could possibly grow in such a toxic environment? And surely the extremists wouldn't have been able to make their own children? It had to be false; just a rumor, but what if....what if it was true? What if there was a new race, cousins to the alkidike, existing out there? The ultimate discovery.
"If you want to be accepted into this village you will take your skills and find out everything you can about the Elaria. I want to see sketches, local testaments, and if you can bring back a specimen, all the better." It was a set up; Mnyiri could smell it's stench as if the offer were already rotting. Ganora wanted to be rid of her, and honestly, Mnyiri should have taken the hint to leave. Surely there were other places in Tendaji that could house her, but this was her home. This is where her mother, Ysmir, had fought for her place and this is where Mnyiri would fight for hers.
Even if it meant going on a suicide mission.
And possibly dying in the process.
"I'll do it. I'll go to Yael, find the Elaria, and I'll gather as much information as I can." After all, what better way to help her sisters than to give them as much intel as she could about their cousins? Even if she were to die, which was not appealing, it would be in service to her goddess.
"Good, then you'll leave tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? But I'm not even packed. I'll need supplies-"
"My daughters will see to it. Right now you should focus on writing letters to your...loved ones." Ganora said it skeptically, as if it were unfathomable that anyone could hold Mnyiri close enough to their heart to miss her if she never came home.
Mnyiri nodded and stood, then slowly made her way out of Ganora's home. She was scared; terrified, even, but also excited. If the small chance of this working out actually did that, worked out, then she could be seen as a hero to her people. And if not...well, they would be rid of her once and for all.
All she had to do was prove Ganora wrong by going through with this and rubbing her findings in the old hag's face.
Seemed easy enough.
(WC: 1251)
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Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 10:08 am
❖☾Stage 3 - Solo One❖☾
It felt like an eternity since Mnyiri was able to freely wander Jauhar’s sprawling landscape. Of course with the Dretch threat still fresh in the minds of her sisters she didn’t wander far; just enough out of the way to really take in the beauty of her homeland without being swarmed in chatter. It felt like ages since she’d seen the bright, lush vegetation that could crowd you out without even trying. As a girl she’d always wondered why some travelers felt intimidated by it. More than a few leaf folk had refused to go back into the abyss because it felt as if the trees were closing in on them. At the time she hadn’t understood it, but now, after having been gone for so long, Mnyiri could sympathize. It was taking her far longer than usual to become acclimated to her surrounding; something she’d taken for granted as a girl. Paths that had once been familiar to her, that had been shown to her over and over again by her mothers, were covered in vines, forgotten by time itself. The landscape had changed, but so had Mnyiri.
The jungle had a mind all it’s own, and favored its children over the strangers who tried to tame it. Even if she didn’t care for the shifters at least they respected Jauhar for what it was, and together, they made a home here. For the entirety of her youth she couldn’t fathom why the shifters wouldn’t just leave, and go find somewhere else to live, but now….now she couldn’t imagine evicting anyone from their home. It was just too special to walk away from.
On her way back to Chibale she had stopped in Sol to admire the changes. Shops now dominated trees that had once stood bare for centuries. Some of the elderly weren’t pleased about it; too much development, they said, too much too soon, but Mnyiri saw it as a good sort of change. Senja’s family was here, and Mnyiri knew that her troupe would be bringing in travelers from far and wide to revel in the beauty of their home. At first she had only seen the usual folk here; shifters, with an alkidike thrown into the mix, and a few matori, with their oban friends, looking for refuge after the changes in their own country. During her last trip through, however, Mnyiri had seen all kinds. Hybrids, as varied and strange as the next, walking boldly alongside their pure blooded cousins where as in the past they would have hidden behind hooded cloaks. Zenan fur traders, with carts as full as the laughter in their hearts, speaking with a man she could only assume to be yaeli. It was odd, seeing one of his kind so far away from the island, but despite how nervous his kinsman were, the bold were striking out into Tendaji and slowly making their way up North. He had seemed happy enough talking to the icelings, showing no outside signs of anxiety, and when Mnyiri walked away she knew they were still smiling.
It was a strange sort of world to return to.
Her Matron had summoned them all back, and it was only by chance she’d heard the call. Only in recent days had she come back from Yael, and Mnyiri had been peacefully resting on the shores of Matori when a fellow sister, in her own attempt to go back home, had spotted her. She wasn’t sure if it was by chance or fate that she’d made it back at all, but Mnyiri had been glad for it, all the same. She was able to stand by Dyakida during the attack, and now, after the Dretch had fled to whatever abyss they called home, she was given a chance once more to look at Chibale with the same sort of nostalgia that had come upon her in Sol.
Mnyiri branched away from Dyakida for the day on the promise that she’d stay relatively close. It wasn’t a hard promise to keep; even if Mnyiri was a hybrid, she was an older, more experienced sister with open knowledge under her belt and as such the elders were now starting to see her as more of an asset instead of a hindrance. It was strange, having the old women ask her about her interpretations of text involving the Dretch, but Mnyiri wouldn’t trade it for the world. As of yet no information had been uncovered that the elders didn’t already knew, but just being involved...it was such a shift that some days the hybrid could scarcely believe it was happening at all. So much had changed over the years that Mnyiri found herself moving towards the home of an old friend, and hoping to see some changes within that home as well.
It felt like an eon since she last visited with Osika. Her childhood friend had been a young mother then, with a tiny babe all her own, and thinking back on how tiny little Vivi had been made her yearn for those days once more. She had forgotten the sweet scent of a freshly cleaned babe, and the soft feel of her little hands as they reached up to touch the skin of Mnyiri’s cheeks. Time had a way of taking that away from you. Still, now that Vivi surely must have grown, she would still be small enough that Mnyiri could scoop up into her arms; if they child allowed it, of course. At these ages they tended to have a mind of their own.
Approaching Osika’s home felt more familiar than anything else in the past few weeks. Osika wasn’t one for large changes; the exterior of the tree she lived in had the same perfectly trimmed vegetation and the same well worn path straight to the front door. Mnyiri approached excitedly, and tapped out a familiar, age old rhythm upon the old door. One that her friend would hopefully recognize.
And indeed she did! It didn’t take long for the other alkidike to swing the door open, scream and throw her arms around Mnyiri. Osika’s home may not have changed much in years past, but the woman herself certainly had. She had always been generously curved, and certainly hadn’t been as thin around the waist as Mnyiri, but these days Osika had grown more than a little pudgy. She was soft in places that had been solid as stone the last time Mnyiri had hugged her, though that mattered little. If anything it was just more of her friend to love.
When they pulled back to get a good look at one another Mnyiri saw lines on Osika’s face that hadn’t been there before. Some were little curves around her mouth, where laughter had permanently left it’s mark and others framed her eyes, no doubt due to stress.
”Where have you been? I haven’t seen you in so long that I thought you’d forgotten about us.”
“As if, “ Mnyiri giggled. She could see past her friend into the once tidy home and saw a flurry of changes. Once weapons had lined her walls and now all had been hidden, with the exception of a few that were too far out of reach to be a threat. Toy swords and stuffed radaku were strewn about the living area without care; as if a mini whirlwind had breezed right on through. ”Looks like Vivi’s been busy.
”Vivi and Ceres.” Osika beamed proudly. “Shortly after Vivi’s first birthday I asked Aisha for another. I thought it would take a little more time, but she was generous.” As tired as she was, Mnyiri had never seen Osika so happy. If she’d been over the moon with her first then she knew that Osika was somewhere past the stars now that she was the mother of two.
She called for the girls and it didn’t take long for two loud, bouncing kids to slide into the room. If she didn’t already know that Vivi was the eldest, and thus the taller of the two, she wouldn’t have been able to tell who was who. Since Osika was their sole mother both girls took heavily after her in terms of markings and features. The only difference Mnyiri could spot was that Vivi preferred to keep her dreads short, while little Ceres had pigtails that went to her tush.
They were excited enough to see their mother, but they hadn’t expected the stranger, so the girls pulled up short, giving Mnyiri a contemplative look. Ceres slid just behind her older sister, clinging to the bigger girl while Vivi herself just stood, trying to make out who the white haired alk was.
“Girls, this is mommy’s friend, Mnyiri. She used to help watch you when you were a baby, Vivi.” If that was supposed to leave any sort of impact upon the girl it didn’t. If anything she seemed to sink into herself further just watching Mnyiri.
As much as she wanted to squeal and take the girl up into her arms Mnyiri wasn’t going to push her luck. It seemed cruel to force the girl to cozy up to a ‘stranger’ just because Mnyiri changed her dressings when she was an infant. After a little discussion with Osika the girls were freed to continue their games and off they went, disappearing into the homes interior.
“They’ll get used to you, with time.”
“Maybe. I’m just happy to see that you’re all doing so well. With everything that’s happened lately I started worry about you..”
“Now you know how I feel, every time you traipse off into Tendaji on one of your adventures.” Osika slipped an arm around Mnyri and pulled her close. “Just be safe out there, okay?” They stayed like that for a while, perhaps longer than necessary, but it had been so long since either woman had seen the other that neither wanted to part ways. She stayed with Osika for the rest of the evening, chatting on a bench outside while the girls chased nondwa in the yard. It was so spectacularly domestic that Mnyiri could almost have forgotten the chaos that happened near Aisha’s roots just a few days ago.
The world had changed so much in such a short amount of time. In the years it had taken her to find herself Ceres was born, and Vivi had had grown into a sassy, opinionated little girl who had a comeback for everything her sister said. Now that she wasn’t being forced to interact with Mnyiri the little one had come out of her shell and was freely bouncing around the open space, as happy as one her age should be. It was a miracle, really, that the little ones hadn’t been taken by the Dretch, and if Mnyiri could help it, they never would be.
When she returned home the sun had already set. What little light that filtered through the great leaves of Jauhar had long since fled, leaving her swamped in the bioluminescence of the jungles ground floor. Mnyiri had seen a great deal of change since coming home. Not all of it was good, but the vast majority left her hopeful for the future. Her tribe, in their dismay, was forced to acknowledge ‘lesser’ members and seek out their strengths as opposed to shutting them out entirely. She was able to spend more time with Dyakida and explore their growing relationship. Tribes that had once closed out others completely were opening their doors to them, and children were still being born, thriving in the land that Mnyiri loved so much.
So even though the Dretch were a real, overarching threat Mnyiri wasn’t worried. She should have been; it was certainly foolish for her not to be, but honestly, there was just too much to be proud of to give in to that fear. When she looked into the tree that Kida lived in, from the outside, Mnyiri knew that a lifetime of memories could be created there. The possibility of such a future had her body thrumming with excitement. Why should she spent longer than she already had fearing a creature who, like death, could strike at any moment? Mnyiri could train, she would learn, but she wouldn’t allow her life to become consumed by it. So long as Tendaji remained strong as a community they would continue to grow, and see changes that would keep that evil at bay. They just had to stay strong as a unit, and for once, Mnyiri thought that might actually happen.
(WC: 2118 )
[7]
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Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 12:51 pm
❖☾Stage 3 - Solo Two❖☾
It was dawn by the time Mnyiri sat back in her seat to give her mind a moment of rest. Ever since returning from Yael the warrior had spent the vast majority of her time either in training, or pouring through near ancient tomes to find any scrap of information she could regarding the Dretch.
Little was known about the bug mages; the majority of that knowledge, unfortunately, already commonly known to their elders. ”You aren’t going to find anything else, girl. You’d best just focus on fighting them.” She’d been told as much many times already, the information playing as if on a loop in her mind, but Mnyiri didn’t believe it. There was only so much information that oral recitation could pass on; surely there had to be something more, hidden back away from the world, waiting to be discovered.
She’d told herself multiple times that she wouldn’t worry over it. Instead, Mnyiri tried to monopolize her time by pouring as much of herself into her training as possible. Surely, her limited skills could use a boost? Plus, maybe if she damaged her spear, Dyakida might fashion her brand new one, with a few generous customizations...When that venture inevitably failed, she turned back to the one thing she was actually good at; studying.
The warrior had taken refuge in Osika’s home, since she had no formal dwelling of her own, and locked herself away in the ‘guest’ room; that is to say, the one room in the house that seemed to be a catch all for Osika’s unnecessary things. It was a glorified storage room, but it also held a bed, and that was all Mnyiri needed. On top of the accumulation of trinkets in the room Mnyiri had piled all of her tomes, scrolls, books, sketches….the entirety of her knowledge was strewn about carelessly throughout the room, making it near impossible to navigate. To her, however, everything made perfect sense. Scrolls containing details about the Matori ear canal were stuffed underneath the spare candles, a few pages about yaeli bone structure were crammed into a bag of clean socks and all of her information on the dretch was sprawled out on top of the bed itself.
They were a darker species; one that couldn’t speak the common tongue, knew of the dark arts, and could vanish without a trace. Mnyiri knew that last part to be especially true; she had personally joined a group of sisters who had poured over the area, combing over every leaf, fungus, and root in hope of something to guide them towards the enemy. Unfortunately, the Dretch was an expert at covering their tracks. He’d vanished, and no sign of the sister he’d taken had been found.
At least this particular scroll held some information about their abilities, more so regarding the dark magic that only the Dretch seemed to possess. “A spell that can freeze an opponent with a reflective surface…” That could mean almost anything. Her sisters might be caught simply because of their reflection in a pool of water, or against the sheen of their own weapons. Once caught, their souls are trapped and Mnyiri had yet to figure out what exactly they did with those souls. Had that been how they captured the others, before the open attack? It would have been so easy for them to go unnoticed, but the Dretch had chosen to make an outward attack. Why?
From everything she could read it seemed as if the Dretch were a secretive race, who preferred to keep their dark deeds in the shadows. What purpose would they have for exposing themselves like that? For all Tendaji knew they were a myth; something that had long slipped into obscurity. They could have survived for an eon, going about their plans as they wanted, without notice! And yet, they made themselves known, and that was what bothered Mnyiri the most. It simply didn’t make sense.
A knock upon the door heralded Osika’s approach. She squinted into the limited light of the room, and clucked her tongue. “Did you stay up all night again? Mnyiri, you can’t do that!”
“I think,” She yawned, stretching her arms above her head. “That I just did.” She’d studied as much as she could throughout the night by the light of a single candle. At some point it was going to start damaging her eyes, but seeing as she couldn’t afford to light more candles, lest she create a fire hazard, Mnyiri simply didn’t have a choice. If she’d set up shown in the open common room the light would have awoken the children, and Osika wouldn’t have been any happier over that one. In fact, she may very well have groused more.
Osika stayed near the doorway, simply because with the amount of things cluttering the room there was no way for her to make it any closer. “Did you find anything?”
“We need to watch the Menzuri.” Mnyiri rubbed her tired eyes and tapped at what she assumed was the right text; honestly, she was too tired to know if it was or not. “They can control them, and use them as mounts.” Though, trying to convince her sisters to keep up a regular patrol around what was arguably Jauhar’s greatest natural threat wouldn’t be easy. Still, it would be a hell of a lot easier watching after the giant crystal spiders now than it would be facing them in battle. “The rest is all the same. It doesn’t matter who wrote it, or what fancy words they used to make themselves sound ‘different’, it all boils down to the same base facts that we’ve been told for years.”
And honestly, it was beyond frustrating. Mnyiri wanted something more. Maybe a new form of magic that could be taught to them to battle the Dretch, or some kind weapon that could be forged, a protective ward, something…. Yet, everything she read came down to the same synopsis;
When in doubt, place your head between your legs and kiss your butt goodbye.
“Come on, at least get some breakfast. You’ll think clearer with a full stomach.” At least Osika wasn’t telling her to rest; that argument had gotten old years ago. At some point she would pass out from exhaustion, but it wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.
Mnyiri nudged the books away with her knee, then gently disentangled her legs before swinging them over the edge of the bed. It took some effort getting out of the room; between stepping on her own research and the ache in her body moving wasn’t exactly easy, but she saw it through. Osika waited patiently for her the entire time, holding out a hand when Mnyiri was close enough. She took it gratefully, and used the additional support to help get her fully out of the room.
“You know you're going to have to be a little neater if things with Kida keep going forward, right? If you’re tripping over your own feet in there imagine how she’d fare.”
“I’d have my own study,” Mnyiri groused. “I’ll keep all of my things in one room and just...kind of not let her in. For her own safety. Is that….That sounded bad, didn’t it?”
“...Just a little, but you’re coming from a good place.” Osika clapped her on the back and led her downstairs, where a plethora of food awaited.
(WC: 1262 )
[4]
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Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 1:52 pm
❖☾Stage 3 - Solo Three❖☾
It was late in the evening by the time Mnyiri was able to finally have a moment of silence. Why she had ever agreed to watch the girls was beyond her; both of the little ones had more energy than she ever could have possessed, which was really saying something, and they liked to show her just how outclassed she was. As much as she loved them Mnyiri was beyond thrilled when Osika finally returned from her hunt. The girls attached themselves to their mothers hips without a second thought, and it was in that moment that she chose to sneak out for a few hours.
Mnyiri stretched her tired arms above her head, leaning just far enough to the right so that certain bones and joints would pop. The sensation was jolting at first, but the immediate relief that followed was well worth it. Her legs carried her further and further down the path towards Dyakida’s home when a familiar figure blocked her way.
The sight of elder Ganora was not a pleasant one. Even in the dimming light the old woman’s snarled features were plainly visible. Like a rabid radaku, Ganora’s lips seemed to peel back a little too far from her teeth, exposing her ‘fangs’ for all to see every time she opened her mouth. Mnyiri hadn’t spoken to the woman since returning from Yael; there didn’t seem to be much point in it, considering this was the same she-beast who had been more than ready to shed another hybrid ‘parasite’ from Chibale. Even now she wasn’t prepared to speak with the woman. Instead, Mnyiri continued on her path, refusing to be the one who got out of Ganora’s way; as far as she was concerned the elder was in HER way and that old b***h could move or be walked over.
“So you survived.”
Mnyiri snorted, and curled her lip. The closer she came to the older alkidike the more the old woman seemed to expect an answer. She stood resolute as ever with her arms crossed under her sagging breasts. Mnyiri stopped a hair’s breadth away from her.
“Are you disappointed?”
“Yes,” At least she was being honest. “I had hoped the elarians would have at least cut off your dreads. The fact you came back intact with any information at all is more than I imagined possible. Several pure blooded sisters have gone, and the fact that you stand here today, after they perished, is…interesting”. The crones scathing gaze encompassed all that Mnyiri was, and if she liked something she saw Ganora did not show it.
“Are you impressed?” Mnyiri furrowed her brow. It certainly sounded like it, but with the way she hid her emotions under all that bitterness the woman couldn’t tell.
“Disappointed. That’s what I said, wasn’t it? I am disappointed that my own kin were shown up by someone with dirty blood.” When she unfurled her arms a little slip of paper was revealed, and Ganora held the rolled note to Mnyiri. “You’ve earned this; it shouldn’t have been hidden from Ysmir, but we followed your grandmother’s wishes.”
Mnyiri took the note hesitantly, as if it would transform at any moment into a keldari and inject her with it’s venom. Surely nothing from Ganora would be good, but curiosity drove her forward. It had been so long since anyone had spoken her mother’s name that the word itself clenched her heart. What kind of information would her grandmother have had that was supposed to be secret?
Carefully she peeled the edge of the rolled note back, and stretch the bit of paper between her fingers. Written were faded words that barely made sense to her; Lož Vel’a, Neued. “Why would she hide this from mother? It makes no sense. Neued is just a shifter village, and the other-”
“-is your grandfather.”
Mnyiri’s heart stuttered. Her...grandfather? The nameless man who had haunted her mother’s childhood, had put stress so much stress on her grandmother….had lived so close, all this time?
“Your grandmother worried that once Ysmir grew she would be tempted to leave, and stay with him, so she never told her his name or where to find him. Those of us old enough to remember know his name, but I’m the only one she told his location to. What you do with that is up to you, but I thought you should know. “
Ganora left Mnyiri to her thoughts. She stayed stagnant in the roadway, soul straining to see past the written text and into the mind of her grandfather. So few of her kind could barely tolerate a male’s presence, let alone value one so much that they wanted to create a child with them. Her grandmother had never been a foolish woman, so why…? Why pick this man who ultimately left her alone with a child that would never be accepted by either tribe? Surely there must have been signs, or some kind of clue as to how terrible he really was? And why, why pick him to sire her young, then cover up his existence? Ysmir had been painfully honest, just like Mnyiri’s grandmother, and yet, this was the first time that name had come up….
There was too much for Mnyiri to think about. She rolled the parchment back, and slipped the bit of paper into her top. Maybe when she wasn’t so tired she would explore this further, but right now she just needed some time away. A good nap in Kida’s arms sounded like a perfect way to keep her mind off things...
(WC: 940)
[3]
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Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 5:28 pm
❖☾Stage 3 - Solo Four❖☾
"You know she's lying to you, right? She's sent you on a suicide mission before; why should now be any different?"
Mnyiri couldn't deny it. Even now, as she packed her bags for a mini 'journey' she knew that it could very likely be her last. She was about to break her promise to Dyakida, the one she'd made to stay close and safe, away from the Dretch, to chase a man she'd never met. A man who had been spoken about by an elder who wanted her dead, no less.
None of it made sense, but Mnyiri didn't care. She needed this; needed to know a truth that had shaped her entire childhood, and the way she carried herself. And if all that took was taking the trip further into Jauhar to a shifter village then so be it.
"I'm going Osika."
"I know. I know I can't stop you, but I just want you to be-"
"I'll be careful," She paused in her packing and turned to smile up at her friend. "So...just act like you have no idea where I've gone? If anyone asks?"
Osika snorted. "You say that like I'm good at lying. I'll try, but I don't know about it succeeding."
"That's all I need."
If her friend could just stall for her long enough so that it wouldn't seem like she were abandoning her people to chase her shifter family in the middle of a Dretch crisis that would be great...Hopefully, Osika could make up an excuse good enough to get the elders off her back, and more importantly, one that wouldn't worry Dyakida. Honestly, she probably would have gone by her place if Mnyiri wasn't so convinced that Kida would try to talk her out of this. It had to be done; if it wasn't then her mind wouldn't rest, and curiosity was a strong motivator. She just hoped Kida would understand.
(WC: 319)
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Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 8:00 pm
❖☾Stage 3 - Growth Solo❖☾
(( Mnyiri's life as a hybrid has had it's ups and downs. While she openly acknowledges her shifter blood she's always thought of herself as more alkidike than anything else. Exploring the lives and cultures of others has always been easier than delving into her own, but a tip from elder Ganora may change it all.
She learns that her grandfather, the infamous man who abandoned her mother at birth, is still alive in Neued. She takes the risk of meeting him, and learns the truth of the situation; that he never abandoned them, but was actually chased out by her grandmother. The admission makes her want to stay closer to him, to learn more about him and her lineage. It's time to be proud of everything that she is; and that includes having shifter blood. She wants to start a family of her own one day, and before she can do that she needs to learn to accept herself, all of herself, so that she can be the woman she always wished her mother could have been.))
The roads to Neued were strange to Mnyiri. There weren't nearly as many travelers as she'd grown used to while touring Tendaji, but with the threat of the Dretch looming over them she could easily understand why many chose to stay home. It was certainly the safer option; one she should have been doing herself, instead of riding head long into shifter territory.
Neued was the oldest of all the shifter settlements, and arguably the most well known. Her elders had described it as a 'hiding place' for the shifters due to the far proximity from their kind. From the time of her birth to the present it's population had grown substantially, and even though the paths leading to it were barren, the heart of Neued was filled with thrumming bodies. She wasn't expecting to see as many fire and water earthlings as she had, but...at least it helped her to not stick out as much.
After obtaining a room at an inn (something Blue? The Blue Spitorog? That couldn't be right...) Mnyiri started her search. She...wasn't the least bit optimistic. The man she was looking for had every right to turn her away, and as far as she knew he could have moved off years ago, leaving nothing behind but memories. A part of her thought about turning back. It would be so easy; just pack up, mount Mvua and return to the alkidike like everything was normal.
But, then she'd be lying.
It wasn't normal. She wasn't normal, and Mnyiri...didn't want to deny that anymore.
"Excuse me," She waved to a passing group of shifters. Most looked to be middle aged, which helped. Mnyiri hadn't asked any of the younger set because she doubted any of them would remember the man, more so if he'd moved on years ago. "Do any of you know Lož Vel’a?"
Everyone in the group shook their heads. It was a unanimous 'no'. The same was true of several others, though some of the older folk seemed to pause and one poor elderly woman thought she was talking about a Zenan folk dance. As the day wore on Mnyiri's will began to drain from her, until...a miracle.
"Yeah, sure I do, that's River's real name." A middle aged woman was quick to answer her, and her smug attitude gave Mnyiri pause. "Why? Are you a fan, too? I'm his biggest fan, you know." Mnyiri caught sight of the woman's impressive girth and didn't doubt it at all. The words she was saying though...
"Is he...a performer?"
"You're looking for him but you don't even know him?! Oh, honey!" She fanned herself with her massive, meaty fingers. Mnyiri couldn't help noticing that each finger had a ring of some sort. It was almost mesmerizing to watch, but Mnyiri had to focus. "He's only the best sitar player in Jauhar. You'd know that if you were any kind of fan at all!"
In a huff, the woman almost toddled away, had Mnyiri not reached out for her shoulder. "Wait! You gotta tell me where he performs! Tha...that way I can listen him and...urm, be a better fan?"
The shifter racked her eyes over Mnyiri, as if measuring her character through that one look before harumphing. "The Little Bloom. It's his own theater; you should know that much." She pulled away from Mnyiri then, waddling off into the crowds.
It wasn't difficult to find the theater. It was the largest, most decorative of all the shifter buildings, and it filled the canopy with light. Getting up to it...had been a struggle, especially since Mnyiri wasn't as adept at getting into the higher trees like those born and raised in Neued. The whole endeavor had been humbling; especially when children less than half her age sailed past her, giggling and pointing the whole time. Still, she'd been determined and now....now she was so close to answers that her limbs starting feeling weak. Or maybe that was just exhaustion after the climb? Did it matter?
"Miss?" She turned to see a younger shifter, one who looked a little nervous around her. Hadn't he ever seen an alk up close before? "Are you gonna buy a ticket or...?"
"No, I'm...just here to talk to Lož Vel’a. Can you tell him his granddaughter is here? Ysmir's girl."
The boy furrowed his brows. It didn't look as if he really comprehended what she was saying, but she didn't expect he would. If her grandfather was half as bad as her grandmother had made him out to be then it was possible he'd tried to cover up his old life. Still, the boy seemed to understand and nodded before slipping into the vestibule.
As she waited outside Mnyiri mentally pondered what she wanted to ask him. Why he'd left was at the top of that list, also right up there with 'how dare you abandon my mother', and other such things. But...when the boy came back, followed by an older shifter she found herself speechless.
He looked just like her mom....
Lož had the same straight nose that her mother had, that she had, and the curve of his cheeks reminded her of Ysmir. Of course he had crystals where she'd never had them, but...the family resemblance was so strong that it stole Mnyiri's breath.
"It's true." He seemed to be on the verge of fainting, which worried the boy at his side. Despite the fact that the older man seemed fairly sturdy on his feet the kid stayed close, just in case. He took a few steps closer, stopping only when Mnyiri took a half step back. "I have a granddaughter....? One that came for me...? I thought your grandmother hated me-"
"She did." Mnyiri replied shortly.
"Did...? So, she's passed...." Mnyiri didn't know how she expected him to react, but sad, depressed resignation wasn't it. "I wanted to talk to her just once more before the end, but she was so bitter..."
"You think?!" Mnyiri snapped. The magic of the moment started to slip away from her as she moved a little closer to him. The boy at Lož's side stepped back, squealing out of surprise before running inside the building. For a moment she worried about him bringing out reinforcements, but there was no turning back now. "You abandoned her, and your newborn daughter! She had every right to hate you!"
"I didn't abandon her; I never abandoned your mother. Ysmir is my baby." She wasn't prepared for his voice to break, and the sight of the elderly man tearing up was enough to give Mnyiri pause. She was still mad, still riled up and confused, but.... "Your grandmother and I loved each other once. It didn't last; they never last, but we wanted a baby so bad that she went to Aisha every day and I stayed as close as they allowed. I'm not a good man, Mnyiri, I know that. In my youth I stole, I hurt people, and I just...I just wanted to start fresh, with her, alright?" The longer he talked the more desperate he became, as if he were afraid now that he had met her that she would walk away. "But she was always so proud and the sisters kept telling her how wrong it was to bring a hybrid into the world....I think it got to her. When she told me we had a bloom of our own I was so happy, but she...she was so distant. Bitter. And when I asked her about it she said she was going to keep the child anyway because if anyone could make a proper warrior out of a....a....a mistake then it was her."
"She didn't want her?" Mnyiri's voice was small as her mind worked through all the details. It was hard to think about, but it made sense. Why else would her grandmother work so hard to hide his existence from Ysmir? Her grandmother had pushed Ysmir into becoming the best warrior she could be, and it had twisted the woman into a hardened, unhappy soul whose only true hope for the future were her daughters. Ysmir had hated the world, and with good reason; not only had she faced discrimination from others, but her own mother had thought of her as a mistake.
"I tried to take her," Lož added, "and that's when she chased me out. We were loud; it attracted others, and her sisters ran me off, then she took your mother to Chibale and I couldn't follow." He was crying now; they were soft, soundless, but Mnyiri felt them in her soul. She felt sorrow for her mother; for the life she could have had, had she been given the choice of living with her father. Maybe she would have been happier staying in Neued. Outsiders would have still viewed her as odd, but at least her home would have been filled with love...
"Is she coming with you? Is your mother here?" She couldn't bear the hopeful look on his face. Through the layers of respressed sadness he'd brightened, and when she shook her head it all went away.
"She's gone. Obans killed her when I was a girl." The pain wasn't as fresh anymore, but thinking about it didn't bring her any small amount of misery. Having both of her mothers taken from her by Obans only soured things; it meant that every time she was in Oba she couldn't help looking at them suspiciously, even the children, no matter how much she wanted to move on. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be...
"Ah. My Little Bloom isn't ever coming home...." That's when Mnyiri realized it; he'd named the theater after his baby girl. The one that was always with him in spirit, but had been ripped out of his arms... "...why did you come? I'm beyond happy to have you here, but after everything they've told you, why...?"
It took her a while to answer. Mnyiri wasn't entirely sure what she was supposed to say. That she was thinking of starting a family of her own in the future, and it didn't feel right to do so while so much about her own childhood was unanswered? That it would have felt right to get revenge for her mother by beating his old a** into the dirt? "I came here wanting to hate you." She answered at length. "My mother never even knew your name, and every day she looked at herself she felt like she was wrong because half of you existed in her. And...for a while, I thought the same thing. I used to dye my hair when I was little and I'd shave my eyebrows," she mimicked the action, bringing her finger across her brows, " But the older I got the more I've realized that Aisha doesn't make mistakes. She made my mother for a reason, and she made me. There was nothing wrong with mama; grandma was the problem. She couldn't accept the fact that she brought a hybrid into the world,and she wanted to change her. it ruined her, and...it almost got me. But... my best friends are earthlings, and while I don't agree with a lot of how they do things I respect it; some parts of it I really like." She smiled a little then.
"I'm proud of who I am, and part of that is because of you. If you hadn't reached out to Aisha then I wouldn't be different. I'm sorry that you didn't get to see mama grow up, but...if you'll have me, I'd really like to be a part of your life. I want to be a family; a real one. One that doesn't hide things from each other."
Lož agreed instantly, and even when the others came to them, battle ready and eager to chase off the alkidike he stayed by her side. She learned that he used his skills to create the biggest theater in Neued in hopes of one day becoming so well known that even in the thickest of alkidike culture word of his troupe would spread. That maybe, his music might reach his daughter one day...In the mean time, he'd found love in another, and although he raised several children with her he still thought of his eldest daily. It was comforting, to know he hadn't forgotten. And although 'meeting the family', especially now that she knew the boy from before was his grandson, and her cousin!, was a little strange Mnyiri was happy.
Ignoring those sides of her hadn't made her a stronger alkidike warrior; it had made her a weaker person. Now that she was reaching out to the shifter aspects within herself she knew that Aisha had blessed her. It wasn't much; a simple start to the rest of her life, but at least now she knew. Now she could say she was the grand daughter of Lož, greatest sitar player in Jauhar, daughter of Ysmir, finest guardian in Chibale, and follower of Aisha. In her youth she had wished for it all to go away, but now....now Mnyiri could see that she was meant to come to terms with it all. That the life her mother should have had was meant for her, and that the strong bonds of family she had missed for so long were here, in Neued, all along.
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